And another reason to subscribe to Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate. In the email I got this morning, which I believe must be yesterday's column, there was a tip from a woman with VERY specific instructions about how she gets free diapers by participating in product research with Johnson & Johnson.

Have I got your attention now?

It got mine even though we're, hopefully, 'this close' to being done with diapers for good. If you are interested check out the site and take a look. If you can't find it but you're interested shoot me an email and I'll send the section in question to you.

But you should subscribe anyway. It's free and the tips are great. So are the recipes. It's all the way around a Cool Idea!

It's probably not often that you get great recipes off of daily moneywise reminders - that is unless you are subscribed to Everyday Cheapskate. I've gotten so many great recipes - including great updates from Erin at $5 Dinners - that I stay subscribed just because I never know what I'll hear next. Last week this recipe was listed and I decide to test it out - you know, just in case;) Yeah, I took one for the team.
And, I ate it all!!
It was that good!
So, go subscribe to the Everyday Cheapskate email and be sure to make this garlic break because these are the best Cool Ideas in a long time!! Even though I don't usually like sage and spice and green stuff!
Fantastic Garlic Bread



1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon sage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 French baguette, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Preheat oven to broil. In a medium bowl combine butter, mayonnaise, sage, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly on bread and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place bread under broil for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.

I loved having a white porcelain sink when we first moved into this house 8 years ago. It looks so nice with the blond wood cabinets and the gray tile floors.

Then reality sets in. DH loves coffee. And he's not so great about rinsing out the sink after he pours his cup out. And the scratches. I had NO idea. Well, it's taken a toll.

Then I read a great tip on Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate about using Barkeepers Friend to clean porcelain sinks and I bought some the next time I had a mystery shop at Kroger. That way, if it didn't work, at least it was free. Right?

Well, no worries. It definitely works. Check this out.

Here's the side by side view of my kitchen sink. The left side has been cleaned with dish soap only and the right side with Barkeepers Friend. Sure there's still some staining but it actually looks better than this picture portrays since my kitchen doesn't have the best lighting for photography - even with the camera's flash.

So, my new friend is Barkeeper's Friend. It has so many uses I haven't even learned about them all but it is definitely a Cool Idea!!

I've been a subscriber to Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate e-newsletter for quite a while now. I enjoy getting it in my inbox everyday. Most days it reminds me of good ways to cut costs and reduce our debt. Other days it provides helpful hints for around the house - some of which I definitely would never have though of.

Recently, Erin of $5 Dinners has been added to these emails. I already subscribe to Erin's emails but I enjoy seeing her in this new space, too. It's a great forum and great recipes, too.

I hope you'll head on over see the most recent recipe and go ahead and subscribe to the Everyday Cheapskate. I promise you'll get a lot out of the emails. It's definitely a Cool Idea!